Perforating device



March 9, 1965 s. c. WERNHAM ETAL 3,172,325

PERFORATING DEVICE Filed 001'.. 2, 1965 1N ENTORS. f m faam/M L aiduUnited States Patent 3,172,325 PERFGRATING DEVICE Spencer C. Wernham and.lames C. Hendricks, Marengo, lli., assignors to McGill Metal ProductsCompany, Marengo, Ill., a corporation of illinois Filed Oct. 2, 1963,Ser. No. 313,238 7 Claims. (Cl. 83-599) This invention relates todevices for perforating sheets for insertion in ring binders and moreparticularly to an improved construction for such a device adap ed to becarried in a ring binder.

Under certain circumstances it is advantageous to have a perforatingdevice such as a paper punch, which is capable of being carried -in aring binder so that papers may be punched immediately for insertion inthe ring binder. In addition to being more convenient, such a deviceprevents the loss of important papers since they may be punched andinstalled in the binder immediately. This is especially helpful tostudents, salesmen and other persons who move from place to place andfor whom a conventional punch would be too cumbersome to carry.

It is almost essential that the punch itself be constructed out of metalfor accurate long lasting punching. On the other hand, metal isexpensive and may be too heavy for convenient portability. It isproposed hereby to use metal for the punch itself, and to secure thepunch to a molded plastic supporting and carrying member. It is,however, quite diflcult to secure metal to plastic and the additionalcost including increased labor tends to malte such a constructionimpractical.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedconstruction of a device for perforating sheets for insertion in ringbinders.

Another object of the invention is to provide a low cost, lightweightperforating device which may be carried in a ring binder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a perforating deviceincluding a punch constructed of metal and a plastic carrying member towhich the punch is secured in a manner to permit easy assembly.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a metal punch formed ofelongated side hinged members secured to a plastic carrying member by adeformable portion projecting into a recess on the carrying member.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an integral cornergauge on a plastic carrying member for a metal punch.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a metal punchincluding hinged members secured to a plastic carrying member by apermanently deformable portion, and by the hinge which projects into arecess in a portion of the carrying member.

A further feature of the invention is the provision, in a perforatingdevice as described, of positioning projections on the carrying membermating with openings in the lower plate of the punch.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a perforating device, constructed inaccordance with the invention, being used in a ring binder;

FIG. 2 is atop plan view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a partial section view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a section view taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 2.

In accordance with the invention, a device for perforating sheets forinsertion in a ring binder includes a hinged metal punch having upperand lower plates. The lower plate contains one or more upwardlyextending punch 3,172,325 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 ICC projections whichmate with corresponding openings in the upper plate of the punch, whenthe upper plate is lowered to perforate sheets inserted therebetween.The punch is mounted on a substantially flat supporting and carryingmember With the lower plate of the punch disposed flat against a surfaceof the carrying member. The rear of the carrying member contains araised portion having a recess therein for accommodating the side hingeconnecting the upper and lower plates of the punch. This limits upwarddisplacement of the hinge. Mounting ears extend from the rear portion ofthe carrying member for securing the same in a ring binder.

The front of the carrying member includes a shoulder adjacent the frontedge of the lower plate of the punch. One or more recesses are providedin the shoulder and a corresponding opening for each recess is punchedin the lower metal plate of the punch such that a small deformable stripis left adjacent the recesses in the shoulders. When the punch is placedon the carrying member, these deformable strips are moved into therecesses to secure the punch to the carrying member. The lower plate ofthe punch is also provided with one or more openings therein which matewith raised bosses on thencarrying member to secure the punch againstlateral displacement.

Referring now to FIG. l, a device constructed in accordance with theinvention is shown in use. The perforating device is held in a ringbinder 11 by means of a pair of attaching ears. A sheet 13 may beinserted in the punch and aligned with the corner gauge as will beexplained. The punch is then closed to perforate the sheet 13 in thedesired manner, and the sheet may then be mounted in ring binder 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, the metal punch of the invention isconstructed of two metal plates 15 and 17 coupled by a hinge 19. Upperplate 15 has a projecting rim 21 to render the same rigid, and tofacilitate the application of pressure to upper plate 15 during thepunching operation. The device shown in the drawings is intended for usein connection with a three ring binder and has three punch projections23, 25 and 27 thereon. Qpenings 29, 31 and 33 in upper plate 15 matewith the corresponding punch projections 23, 25 and 27 to cooperatetherewith and perforate a sheet inserted therebetween as the top plate15 is closed over bottom plate 17.

The metal punch is mounted on a plastic carrier which includes a base35. A plurality of strengthening ribs 37 are provided intermediate theends of base 35 and afford rigidity thereto. Base portion 35 includes aflat top upon which the bottom plate i7 of the punch is disposed. Thepunch projections 23, 25 and 27 are secured to bottom plate 17 by stakedprojections 36. Recesses 3S are provided in base 35 to accommodateprojections 36. A plurality of raised bosses 39 on base portion 35cooperate with corresponding openings in lower plate 17 to locate thepunch on the carrying member and to secure the punch against lateralmovement with respect to the carrying member.

The lcarrying member includes a rear shoulder 41 which is molded with arecess 43 therein. Recess .13 receives hinge 19 of the punch to securevt-he salme against upward movement with respect to the carrying member.Shoul der d1 also contains two mounting ears 45 which are provided withopenings 47 therein for mounting -in a three ring binder as shown inFIG. l.

The lower end of the carrier rnember includes a corner gauge 49 withwhich the sheets to be punched may be aligned -for accurate placement:in the punch. Thi-s is also shown in FIG. l.

The carrier member includes a front shoulder 51 adjacent the leadingedge of lower plate i7. A pair of recesses 53 and 55 are provided inshoulder 51, and openings 57 and 59 are provided in lower plate 17adjacent recesses 53 and S5 respectively. Openings 57 and 59 `aresuiciently close to the leading edge of lower plate l7 to leave narrowdeformable bands 6l and 63 respectively along the leading edge. Thesebands may be deformed into ,the respective under cuts 53 and 55 tosecure lower plate 17 against the `base 35 of the carrier member.Mounting the punch in the carrier member is accomplished merely byfitting the ylower plate over the` locating bosses 39, with the hinge 19extending intoV recess 43 of shoulder 41, and then deforming the strips61 and 63 respectively into recesses 53 and 55 to secure the punch tothe carrier member. Y

When the perforating device is lmounted in a three ring binder` as shownin FIG. 1, sheets may be perforated by a simple `sequence of steps. Theextension 21 of upper plate is grasped and the upper plate raised. Thesheet which it is desired to punch is inserted between plates 17 and 15and the lower corner is aligned in corner gauge 49. The top plate l5 is`moved toward lower plate i7V and as punch projections 23, 25 and 27pass into openings 29, 3l and 33 respectively, the paper will beperforated. Top plate 15 may then be raised and the sheet removed.

It may therefore be seen ythat the invention comprises an improvedcon-struction -for a device for perforating sheets for insertion in ringbinders. The perforating device itself is adapted to be carried in sucha binder. The construction provides a device wherein a metal punch issecurely mounted in a plastic carrying member. The results is alightweight, low cost, compact and durable unit which may be carried inthe ring binder itself.

We claim:

l. A device for perforating sheets for insertion in ring binders,including in combination, a metal punch having upper and lower plateswith perforating means thereon and hinge means joining said upper andlower plates, a substantially fiat carrying member for said punchcomprised of a rigid material of substantially less density than metal,said lower plate of said punch being disposed flat against a surface ofsaid carrying member, a rst mounting portion extending above the levelof said hinge means and having a recess therein accommodating said hingemeans, and a second mounting portion extending above the level of saidlower plate and having a recess therein, said Ilower plate having aportion thereon deformable to project into the recess in said secondmounting poration, whereby said metal punch may be secured `to saidcarrying member after placement thereon by deforming said deyformableportion.

2. A device for perforating sheets for insertion in ring binders,including in combination, a metal punch having upper and lower plateswith perforating means thereon and hinge means joining said upper andlower plates, a substantially flat plastic carrying :member for saidpunch, said -lower plate of said punch being disposed llat against thesurface of said carrying member, a first mounting portion extending`above the level of said hinge means and having a recess thereinaccommodating said hinge means, and a second mounting portion extendingabove the level of said lower plate and having a recess therein, saidlower plate having an opening therein rendering a portion of said lowerplate deformable to project into the recess in said second mountingportion, whereby said metal punch may be secured to said plasticcarrying member after placement thereon by deforming said deformableportion.

3. A device for perforating sheets for insertion in ring binders,including in combination, an elongated metal punch having upper andlower plates with perforating means thereon and hinge means joining saidupper and lower plates along the greater dimension thereof, asubstantially flat plastic carrying member for said punch, said lowerplate of said punch being disposed at against a surface of said carryingmember, means on said carrying member engaging said lower plate toprevent lateral ,displacement thereof with respect to said carryingmember, a hinge housing integral with said carrying member and extendingabove the level of said hinge means and having a recess thereinaccommodating said hinge means to prevent upward displacement thereofrelative to `said 'carrying member, and a second mounting portionextending above the level of said lower plate and having a plurality ofrecesses therein, said lower plate having a plurality of openingstherein adjacent respective ones of said recesses in said lmountingportion, said openings each leaving a deformable lstrip between it andthe edge of said lower plate adjacent said mounting portion to projectinto the corresponding recess in said mounting portion when deformed,Iwhereby said Imetal. punch may be secured to said plastic carryingmember after piacement thereon by deforming said deformable strips.

4. A device Ifor perforating sheets for insertion in ring binders,including in combination, a metal punch having elongated upper and lowerplates, said lower plate having a plurality of punch projections thereonand said upper plate having a plurality of corresponding punch openingstherein for perforating sheets inserted therebetween, hinge meansjoining said upper and lower .plates along the greater dimensionthereof, a plastic carrying member for said punch having a substantiallyflat -surface thereon, said lower plate of said punch being disposed atagainst said surface of said carrying member, a first mount-ing portionextending above the level of said hinge means and having a recesstherein accommodating said hinge means, and a second mounting portionextending above the level of said lower plate and having a recesstherein, said lower plate having a portion thereon deforma-ble toproject into the recess in said second mounting portion, whereby saidmetal punch may be secured tto said carrying member after placementthereon by deforming said deformable portion.

5. A device for perforating sheets for insertion in ring binders,including in combination, a metal punch having elongated upper and lowerplates, said lower plate having a plurality of punch projections thereonand said upper plate having a plurality of corresponding punch openingstherein for perforating sheets inserted therebetween, -hinge meansjoining said upper and lower plates along the greater dimension thereof,a plastic carrying member for said punch having a substantially fiatsurface thereon, said lower plate of said punch being disposed flatagainst said surface of said carrying member, means integral with saidcarrying member for aligning sheets with said plurality of punchprojections, a first mounting portion extending above the level of saidhinge means and having a recess therein accommodating said hinge means,and a second mounting portion extending above the level ofv said lowerplate and having a recess therein, said lower plate having an openingtherein rendering a portion of said lower plate permanently deformableto project into the recess in said second mounting portion, whereby saidmetal punch may be secured to said plastic carrying mem'- ber afterplacement thereon by deforming said deformable portion.

6. A device for perforating sheet material including in combination, ametal punch having upper and lower plates with perforating means thereon`and hinge means joining said upper and lower plates, and asubstantially hat carrying member for said punch comprised of a rigidmaterial of substantially less density than metal, said lower plate ofsaid punch being disposed flat against a surface of said carryingmember, said carrying member having a portion extending above the levelof said hinge means and having a recess therein accommodating 'saidhinge means, said lower plate having a deformable portion cooperatingwith a portion of said carrying member for securing said lower plate tosaid llat carrying member, said lower plate being held in place flatagainst said surface of said carrying member with said upper plate beingpivotal with respect Ythereto for perforating the sheet material.

7. A device for perforating sheet material `for insertion 5 in a ringbinder including in combination, a metal punch having elongated upperand lower plates, said lower plate having a punch projection thereon andsaid upper plate having ya corresponding punch opening therein forperforating said sheet material inserted therebetween, hinge meansjoining said upper and lower plates along the greater dimension thereof,and a substantially flat plastic carrying member for said punch having aat surface, said lower plate of said punch Lbeing disposed against saidflat surface of said carrying member, said lower plate having adeformable portion cooperating with a portion of said carrying `member-for ysecuring said lower plate to said carrying Imember, said `carryingmember having a hinge housing portion extending above the'level of saidhinge means and having a recess therein accommodating said hinge meansto prevent upward displacement thereof relative to `said carryingmember, said carrying member having a mounting ear with an openingtherein for mounting `the device in a ring binder.

No references cited.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR PERFORATING SHEETS FOR INSERTION IN RING BINDERS,INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A METAL PUNCH HAVING UPPER AND LOWER PLATESWITH PERFORATING MEANS THEREON AND HINGE MEANS JOINING SAID UPPER ANDLOWER PLATES, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT CARRYING MEMBER FOR SAID PUNCHCOMPRISED OF A RIGID MATERIAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESS DENSITY THAN METAL,SAID LOWER PLATE OF SAID PUNCH BEING DISPOSED FLAT AGAINST A SURFACE OFSAID CARRYING MEMBER, A FIRST MOUNTING PORTION EXTENDING ABOVE THE LEVELOF SAID HINGE MEANS AND HAVING A RECESS THEREIN ACCOMMODATING SAID HINGE